RB Exclusive Interview: No Mana

No Mana has had an incredible year. The production wizard released three tracks on Monstercat, earning him much praise from fans and peers alike. He completed a 20-stop headlining tour (and hasn’t stopped since), and has been cementing his place within the tech-house scene with his innovative, yet nostalgic, sound. No Mana will no doubt be one to watch in 2023, and we were excited to chat with him before his upcoming performance in Arizona next month. Check it out below!

You were recently named Best New Artist on Monstercat. Congratulations! How did that feel? 

Thank you!!! I have the habit of keeping my head down as I’m a bit disconnected from how people feel about my music, so this came as a surprise to me. Also shocked considering I’ve been a fan of the label for about a decade now.

How has it been working with that label? 

Pretty good. I’m itching to release more with them.

You wrapped up your ‘Loud Music. Flashing Images’ tour last month. What were some of the highlights from this run of shows?

The festival runs are usually my favorite considering the amount of people I get to play in front of and randomly running into friends and artists at the venue. Honolulu in particular always tops the stops whenever it’s on my tour list since I just make a vacation out of it.

Some of your latest tracks like “Out of the Dark” and “Yesterday” have a very distinct, nostalgic vibe to them. How would you describe it to someone hearing them for the time? 

Like, if I wrote these in early 00’s? I’m sure basslines were barely forefront like it is now so Out of the Dark would’ve been described interestingly back then. Other than basslines, all other synths would be something that everyone would be familiar with. Also, I think mixing techniques today make the biggest difference in dance music now. Drums sit harder in the mix, and we also tend to fill the frequency band and stereo space; not to mention the loss of dynamics to make everything sound very very way more louder.

With the end of 2022 approaching, what are some of your goals for the new year? 

I definitely have some fitness and health goals that I feel too obsessed to talk about. Other than that, just trying to pack on as much unreleased music as possible.

We’re excited to have you in Tempe next month? What should fans expect from your set?

Couple new tunes, trance, techno, house and all its sub-genres, a few drinks and a good time.

Appreciate No Mana chatting with us! Catch him at Darkstar in Tempe on Saturday, January 7th. You can purchase tickets here!

Connect with No Mana: Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud